Fuifui Moimoi

Fuifui Moimoi
Moimoi while playing for New Zealand in 2009
Personal information
Full name Fuifui Moana Moimoi
Nickname Car Crash[1][2]
Born 26 September 1979 (1979-09-26) (age 32)
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 108 kg (17 st 0 lb)
Playing information
Position Prop
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2004– Parramatta Eels 144 19 0 0 76
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2006 Tonga 2 0 0 0 0
2007–2011 New Zealand 12 0 0 0 0
As of 16 July 2010
Source: Rugby League Project

Fuifui Moana Moimoi (born 26 September 1979, in Tonga) is a New Zealand-Tongan professional rugby league footballer for the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League competition.

Contents

Playing career

A Point Chevalier Pirates and Glenora Bears junior, Moimoi was spotted by then New Zealand Warriors coach Daniel Anderson in 2002 while playing in the Bartercard Cup for the Mt Albert Lions.[3] Moimoi then joined the South Sydney Rabbitohs for the 2003 season as a trialist.[2] He made his first grade debut for the Parramatta Eels in 2004. On 20 April 2010, Moimoi signed a further 2 year contact and will continue to play with the Eels until the end of 2012.[4]

Representative career

On Tuesday 10 September 2007, News.com.au reported Australian selectors have inquired about the international eligibility of Moimoi. Moimoi grew up in New Zealand, was born in Tonga and qualifies for Australia under residency rules as well as being eligible for American Samoa. Moimoi is eligible to play for Tonga as well as either Australia, New Zealand or the United States and Samoa. Australian Rugby League chief executive Geoff Carr revealed Australian selectors asked about the eligibility of Moimoi.

On Monday 24 September 2007, the New Zealand Rugby League association confirmed Fuifui Moimoi's inclusion into the Kiwis train-On squad to take on Australia, Great Britain and France for the end of season tests. Moimoi made his debut for New Zealand in a 58–0 defeat to Australia in Wellington on 14 October 2007.

He was named in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[5] He was also named in the Tonga squad.[6] Moimoi was not selected for the final New Zealand squad, and because he had recently played for New Zealand, he was ruled ineligible for the Tongan side. He contested his right to play for Tonga in court, but to no avail.[7]

After a career season in 2009, Moimoi returned to the New Zealand national team, being cleared by the RLIF to play in the Four Nations.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Sam Burgess". Soccer AM. 05-12-2009. http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,12780,00.html. Retrieved 11-02-2010. 
  2. ^ a b STEVENSON, ANDREW (3 October 2009). "No razzle-dazzle without Fuifui". Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/no-razzledazzle-without-fuifui-20091123-iypg.html. Retrieved 23 April 2010. 
  3. ^ "Yo ho ho and ninety years done" Superleague, Issue 1 2010. p.27.
  4. ^ "Fuifui Moimoi re-signs with Eels". Sydney Morning Herald. 20 April 2010. http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/fuifui-moimoi-resigns-with-eels-20100420-srhi.html. Retrieved 23 April 2010. 
  5. ^ "Kiwis select Sonny Bill". Sky Sports. 8 August 2008. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12196_3949034,00.html. Retrieved 2008-08-08. 
  6. ^ "Samoa, Tonga and Fiji name squads". BBC. 8 October 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7658506.stm. Retrieved 2008-10-09. 
  7. ^ "Fuifui Moimoi ready to rumble in biggest game of his career". Rugby League Live. 10 September 2009. http://www.rugbyleaguelive.com/Articles/6876/2009/10/01/Fuifui_Moimoi_ready_to_rumble_in_biggest_game_of_his_career.aspx. Retrieved 2009-10-07. 
  8. ^ Read, Brent; McDonald, Margie (6 October 2009). "Fuifui Moimoi cleared to play for New Zealand". The Australian. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26169395-2722,00.html. Retrieved 2009-10-07. 

External links

Parramatta Eels – current squad